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Auto Repair Shop Coaching Library


Our friend Jerry opens up this clip, bringing a trade publication article to the table. The article raised the question, “should your auto repair shop charge for automotive inspections?” The conclusion? A resounding yes – and here is why.

Always charge for Automotive Inspections - Your Technicians' time is worth money.

Automotive Inspections – Time Is Money

Jerry outlined the model featuring three levels of inspection: A basic inspection, which is free; a more thorough mid-level inspection for a nominal fee; and a thorough, complete inspection, costing more. His experience? Most people are willing to pay for the mid level vehicle inspection, rather than going for the free basic package. Bottom line: it is not fair to ask your technician to work for free, or for you to pay him or her when you are not being paid by the customer.

Pam joined the discussion, pointing this out from a Service Writer’s perspective. Customers understand there is value in our work. They come expecting to pay for it, or at least they should. If your Service Advisor explains the value of the inspection, customers will be happy to pay for it. If they are not receptive, the chances are that your front counter employee is not asking enough questions.

For example, if a customer says their Check Engine Light is on, your Service Writer should be asking if they have noticed any issues with the vehicle’s performance. If you don’t ask, there is a good chance your technicians may not know where to look for the problem. Then, when you fail to fix the issue, the customer will rightfully hold you accountable.

Scott makes the point that many of his older clients do not drive much, but will take a long trip once or twice a year to see family. They enter the shop, asking for a pre-trip inspection, and are happy to pay for it. That peace of mind is so valuable. Opening the hood for the inspection also creates opportunities to sell more work if necessary.

What Are Your Competitors Doing?

Fred added that his Service Writer recently called around to other shops, asking how much they charged for automotive inspections. He was surprised to know how high their fees were to inspect customers’ vehicles. Since the market is bearing it, he found it necessary to raise his own inspection fees.

Jerry gave an example of the basic inspection in action. His shop offers a free 15-minute visual “no wrench” inspection. From just a few minutes of eyeballing the engine and wheels,  his technicians can recommend premium services such as a full brake inspection. Again, customers who come in and let us inspect their vehicles should expect to pay for our services ultimately. Obviously, if a more thorough brake inspection is in order, Jerry’s shop rolls the cost of the inspection into the repair charge.

Bottom line? Don’t give away free full vehicle automotive inspections. Many times, customers will take advantage of your generosity and get the work done elsewhere.

Ready For The Next Step? Book Your FREE Strategy Session!

Brian Gillis - You Net ResultsYour auto repair shop lacks direction. Maybe your business plan has stalled out, and you aren’t meeting your goals. You need an experienced automotive industry coach to help you. Then why not schedule a FREE business strategy session with You Net Results guide Brian Gills? You’ve got nothing to lose, so sign up today!

Leadership In High Gear

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Defining Leadership

What are your BIG 3 driving gears? The following was shared :
  1. Empowerment
  2. Inspire / motivate
  3. Casting a vision
  4. Getting “buy in”
  5. Inspect what you expect / follow up
  6. Praising, showing gratitude, and accountability

Question asked and discussed :

Can confidence be learned?
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Let’s Get Acquainted

  1. Only Two Ways to Increase Sales
  2. Notes
  3. Write Your Tie Down
  4. Top Three Incoming Calls
  5. How & Why
  6. Oil Change Script
  7. The Quick Close Script
  8. The Anytime Script
  9. Notes

Downloads

Powerpoint PDF

Here is a clip from one of our weekly Working On It Tuesday training webinars. This week, the topic in question is our leadership process. Brian details the six steps to auto shop leadership mastery, also known as The Lotus Code.

Use the Lotus Code to learn leadership mastery for your people.The Lotus Code in Action for Auto Repair Shop Leaders

When automotive industry owners want to up their leadership game, it’s great to have an ordered list which they can refer to. Our Auto Repair Leadership Process is based on the Lotus Code, which is an ancient six step method for success. In order, the six steps are:

  1. Thinking
  2. Words
  3. Action
  4. Habits
  5. Perseverance
  6. Attainment

The other owners on the call recalled Gary Gunn teaching this age old concept to them many years ago. Brian then goes over the history of the Lotus Code, which is over 2500 years old. Mastering your goals always involves these six steps, in this order. Whether it’s a simple task such as cleaning your house, or a more complex one like managing your auto repair shop’s daily operations, this is how it comes together.

When the Lotus Code is applied correctly, we think through our task. Then, we verbalize our plan. We take action, and with repetition, those actions grow into habits. Although obstacles can (and will) arise, we take step five, which is Perseverance, to conquer them. Finally, through that perseverance, we reach step six, Attainment. Only then can we call ourselves masters. As any shop owner knows from experience, mastery will only come through hard work and focus.

Learn More – Schedule Your FREE Strategy Session

Does your auto repair shop lack direction? Perhaps your business plan has stalled out, and you need an experienced automotive industry coach to help you. Then why not schedule a FREE business strategy session with Brian? You’ve got nothing to lose, so sign up today!

People in Overdrive

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We discussed the Hexagon and the 6 triangles that make up the Hexagon, specifically focused on the People Process today.  We formed the top three gears that will drive that process forward.  We also spent some time specifically discussing recruiting technicians.
  1. Recruiting and Retention
  2. Ongoing meeting (STS, SMS, SBS, SPS) along with ongoing skills training.
  3. Incentives and Pay Plans.

Here is a great discussion on how we can document an auto repair invoice. In this clip, Brian and our guest Keith begin the process of writing a ten step SOP on building automotive repair invoices.

Auto Repair Invoice - Service Advisor Helping Automotive CustomerAuto Repair Invoice – When And How

Brian starts out the segment by setting the ground rules of the SOP. The front of house staff, specifically the Service Advisor at the desk, is responsible for writing the auto repair invoice. When you write a Standard Operating Procedure, you number the steps in order to clearly describe how the job is done. In this case, your front of house staff will have  a handy guide to refer to when questions come up.

It is also a great idea for you to review this and other SOPs regularly when in team meetings and one on one’s in order to keep everyone sharp. Sometimes, it will help for individuals to taylor certain steps and scripts to their own strengths. However, when you have one standard form on hand for the whole team to reference, it makes a huge difference.

Auto Repair Invoice SOP Step 1

Next, Brian called on Keith to provide step one. Before we fill anything else out, we will need to gather the customer’s contact and vehicle information. The first question we always need to answer is “Why is the vehicle here?” Then, from there, we can fill in the rest of the blanks on the SOP.

Learn More – Book Your FREE Strategy Session Today

Does your independent auto repair shop business lack direction? Maybe your initial business plan has stalled out. You need to hire an experienced automotive industry coach who can help you. So why not schedule a FREE business strategy session today with Brian Gillis? You have got nothing to lose, so sign up today!

 

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Daily Operations with Lane Assist – #5 Hexagon

  1. PARP
  2. Work Flow Plan
  3. Written SOPs

Mastering Your Results – all 6 Processes

Downloads

Powerpoint PDF

Financials on All Cylinders

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  • Financials on All Cylinders #4 Hexagon
  • Money Machine and how it works
  • Mastering Your Results – all 6 Processes
  • Six Section Concept Binder
  • Triangle Review
  • TCODB (Base)
  • Snapshot (Left Side)
  • Scorecard (Right Side)

Downloads

Powerpoint PDF

Key Performance Indicators - KPI for Auto Repair Shops

Key Performance Indicators Photo By Stratocaster

Understanding Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Your Auto Repair Shop

Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are important tools for achieving success. They provide a clear measure of progress toward organizational goals. These help auto repair shops both to stay on track and to reach their objectives.

KPIs offer insight into how well the business is doing and also reveal areas that need improvement. All these work together to increase your ROI and then help scale your efforts. In this blog, we’ll discuss:

  1. What KPIs are and why they matter
  2. How to create KPIs for your auto repair shop
  3. How working with a business coach can jump start this process. 

What Are Key Performance Indicators? 

KPIs are measurable values which assess your company’s performance. They provide insight into what’s happening in the business in real time. When companies track KPIs over time, they can identify trends in performance. Those trends then allow them to make informed decisions about the future. 

Why Do They Matter? 

KPIs are essential for measuring success. Without them, businesses may not be able to accurately assess their progress and make improvements where necessary. Furthermore, setting performance targets allows businesses to have realistic goals to strive for while also providing motivation to reach those goals. When you use them correctly, KPIs help you optimize your organization’s operations and drive growth.

Creating KPIs For Your Auto Repair Shop 

When creating KPIs for your auto repair shop, it’s important to make sure they are relevant to your industry and the specific needs of your business.

Some common Key Performance Indicators used by auto repair shops include:

  • Customer satisfaction ratings
  • Average revenue per customer visit
  • Number of repeat customers
  • Average turnaround time on repairs

It’s also important to set reasonable targets to measure progress without becoming overwhelmed or discouraged by unrealistic expectations.

Working With a Business Coach 

Working with a business coach is the best way to meet your goals so you can maximize your potential as an auto repair shop owner. A business coach helps you set realistic goals and create action plans, so you know exactly what steps to take each day to succeed over time. These provide valuable feedback on strategies that have worked in the past, plus new ideas that could boost performance later.

Understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential for any successful auto repair shop owner or manager for optimizing operations. Tracking these metrics helps owners and managers identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement. Then they can efficiently allocate resources accordingly for maximum returns on investment (ROI).

You Net Results Will Help You Start Your Key Performance Indicators Journey

Contact You Net Results today. We will guide you in the process of identifying, itemizing, and building your framework of critical KPIs! Book a complimentary consultation. Brian Gillis and our team will help you build your leadership foundation. Plug into a vast network of auto repair shops, working together to strengthen the industry! Let’s make March the best month of your business life!

Do you know when to write an auto repair estimate? Brian and the YNR group talk about identifying the “one thing” – i.e. the first major item of concern on a vehicle – and alerting the customer to it. Then what? We go through a quick scenario with reassuring a price shopper that we will get the job done quickly and affordably. It’s not about money, it’s about their safety. Get the customer on their way via your shuttle, and give the rest of the vehicle a thorough inspection. Then and only then is when to write an auto repair estimate.

Auto Repair Estimate Writing for customers by Service AdvisorsAuto Repair Estimate Writing – When And How

Brian starts the conversation by reminding us not to rush into repairs before talking with our customers. Remember, the customer will tell us everything we need to know, and often will ask questions to steer us in the right direction.

Eric chimes in to walk us through his process of finding “one thing” during initial inspection that customers need to know about. Then, the Service Advisor will walk the customer back to their vehicle to explain the issue. After that, just listen to the customer. When they let you know their concerns about cost or time, let them know you can get right to work on the repair and provide them a shuttle to work. Make sure the conversation thoroughly addresses vehicle safety. You have yet to completely inspect the vehicle, so assure them you will call them shortly to let them know if there are any other concerns. You should only provide an auto repair estimate after reading the customer their vehicle’s inspection results.

Brian wraps up by remind us that both front and back of house staff should understand the “one thing” concept. Make sure you clearly mark what it is on your repair orders, so everyone knows.

Learn More – Book Your FREE Strategy Session

Does your auto repair shop lack direction? Perhaps your business plan has stalled out. You need an experienced automotive industry coach to help you. Then why not schedule a FREE business strategy session with YNR guide Brian Gillis? You’ve got nothing to lose, so sign up today!

 

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